This invention relates to cylinder controls for saving fuel in multi-cylinder internal combustion engines by selectively controlling the number of cylinders brought into the power cycle of an engine through the selective closing of an intake valve and the opening of the exhaust valve of those cylinders taken from the power cycle, and for returning all cylinders to normal engine operation when maximum power is required from the engine. Such removal of cylinders from the power cycle of the engine will produce a corresponding saving in fuel when the additional power of the engine is not needed. The art of modifying engines for the purpose of removing cylinders from operation is not new per se, as can be seen from U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,985,447; 2,250,814; 2,394,738; 2,652,038; 3,520,287; 1,350,989; 2,392,933; 2,528,983; 1,977,778, 3,945,367; and Dec. 6, 1976 issue of MONEYSWORTH. Such examples of some of the prior art represented attempts to accomplish the novel result obtained in this invention. Such examples of the prior art required complicated changes to the existing engine which, therefore, made the process of controlling the valves a very expensive and undesirable proposition. For example, in the patent of Weiss, U.S. Pat. No. 2,528,983, a whole series of special cams are required for closing of certain cylinders from the power operation of the engine rather than utilizing a standard or existing internal combustion engine with only minor modifications. The expense of such major modifications to the internal combustion engine being such that the corresponding fuel saving would not make an economically-justifiable benefit. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,520,287, this prior art utilized hydraulic fluids and check valves to form a hydraulic lock to keep the exhaust valves at least partially open thereby removing a cylinder from operation; however, again substantial modification of the engine is required in order to provide for a reciprocating valve bridge which can then be slidably moved in order to close the valves from operation.
Even the prior art of L. P. Anthony, which provides for the driving of the push rods downward against the cam shafts in order to hold the push rod on the lifter and effect the result of opening the valve, requires substantial modification of the existing engine to accomplish the results which are simply accomplished by the operation of this invention.